“Words can be like X-rays if you use them properly – they’ll go through anything.”
–Aldous Huxley, Brave New World
Kick back with a cup of coffee and read something new. Each is inspired by a weekly writing prompt. Read alongside your neighbors and friends and don’t hesitate to add supportive comments on the work that resonates with you!
The View from our Lanai by Linda Freedland
On that humid summer morning, I’ll never forget the way the sun shimmered on the green lizards inhabiting the grounds behind our condo, which sat on the edge of a golf course. Sipping my morning coffee on our second-floor lanai, I watched, fascinated, entranced, as these reptilian creatures from the lost lagoon lumbered out of … Continue reading The View from our Lanai by Linda Freedland
Yangtze River Sizzle by Mary Perrin Scott
On that steamy humid morningI will never forget theThe sound of the cruise ship’s motorA China River cruise onThe longest river in the worldThe Yangtze River to becomeKnown for the Three Gorges Dam.Boarding the cruise shipIn the port of ShanghaiEngines and adventures startUp the mustard coloredSnake – like placid river.The ship coolly airconditionedThe outside observation … Continue reading Yangtze River Sizzle by Mary Perrin Scott
The Feel of Humidity by Alexander Zaborek
Oh the summer daysWhere both the views and temperatures take your breathing awayWhere friends and family come to the beach and laySomething has arrived, and it’s here to stay The humidity in the airThe forest chants with all it’s treesIt sheds a tear; fallen leavesWith you, on the porch, in your chair The bells and … Continue reading The Feel of Humidity by Alexander Zaborek
Never Forget… What? by Duane L. Herrmann
“Do you remember,” Rafiq idly asked. “That hot, humid summer morning when Mrs. McConnely slid off the roof? I’ll never forget that afternoon.”“When the bees swarmed into the kitchen?” Shindar asked in return.“That’s because Mom slammed the pan into the wall too hard and broke through their hive.”“The buzzing was affecting her brain.”“But it was … Continue reading Never Forget… What? by Duane L. Herrmann
A Hot and Humid Morning by June Hannay Kosier
It wasn’t exactly summer yet according to the calendar, but it was hot and humid. It was June 9th, 1973 and it was my 24th birthday and my wedding day. It was hotter than hades on the altar at 10 AM in the morning. When it came time to put the ring on my finger, … Continue reading A Hot and Humid Morning by June Hannay Kosier
Hip, Hip Hooray by Mary Perrin Scott
Hip, Hip HoorayThe mail arrived todayMailmen and MailwomenJim and Elizabeth and millions morePony express, trains, planes and trucksDeliver our daily mailMagazines, packages, billsLetters, baby announcements and holiday cardsJust some of what they bringWe wait to see them turn the cornerMail bag over their shoulderA smile greeting us at the doorLet’s celebrate these men and womenWho … Continue reading Hip, Hip Hooray by Mary Perrin Scott
Days of Paradise by Duane L. Herrmann
‘What a wonderful day it is,’ Agatha thought as she woke up that morning. ‘We voted for local council members in the evening and the results were announced in the news before we went to bed. There were two changes this year, in the nine, because Mr. Renfrow had resigned due to ill health and … Continue reading Days of Paradise by Duane L. Herrmann
Thanks, But No Thanks-idays by Douglas Paul Deneen
“Grinch.” “Grouch.” “Humbug.” Burt’s been called every name found in books about holiday killjoys. His wife, kids, and in-laws all chime in. His sisters stopped sending Birthday, Anniversary and Christmas cards. His own mother once said, “You know what you are? A Scrooge. You’re a Scrooge.” Burt knew he’d earned most of those titles, but … Continue reading Thanks, But No Thanks-idays by Douglas Paul Deneen
Neighborhood Help Day by Linda Freedland
“Poor Mrs. Myers, losing her husband last month. She’s all alone now.” “Mr. Bradley just lost his wife and I think she did all the cooking.” “Mr. and Mrs. Kaplowitz are too frail to do all their yard work. And their kids live clear across the country.” These could be our neighbors. Maybe they’re not … Continue reading Neighborhood Help Day by Linda Freedland
D. D. D. by June Hannay Kosier
D. D. D. stands for Dandelion Death Day. It is the new holiday that I am proposing. Anyone who knows me knows I hate dandelions and do everything possible to eliminate them. I wage war every Spring against dandelions. I think of them as deadly trespassers. While most women get jewelry for Mother’s Day, my … Continue reading D. D. D. by June Hannay Kosier
Community by Mary Perrin Scott
Hurricane Season brought out the best in our community. It is where the seeds of being a gatherer and welcomer were planted. People often say to me, “You are a gatherer, an encourager.” I was taught those skills by my family and community in the early 1950s. This is a memoir piece about that time. … Continue reading Community by Mary Perrin Scott
Floods by Linda Freedland
“Not only are you a great cook and talented artist, you are my best friend and I’m so glad you’re in my life.” Those were the words spoken by a woman I’d known for ten years. A talented artist herself, I basked in the glow of her compliment. They were said on my deck this … Continue reading Floods by Linda Freedland
With Tears of Joy by June Hannay Kosier
“Don’t ever underestimate the impact that you may have on someone else’s life.”Anonymous I believe that you never know how your actions or what you say will affect someone. I found out how true this is over 50 years after the fact and I cherish the moment. It was my first year in the Van … Continue reading With Tears of Joy by June Hannay Kosier
The Flood Came by Edward Pontacoloni
The flood came And broke a dam To carry a farm away, The cow, the hens, The rocking chair, Where she would sit, To rock and knit. The wind howling, The rain falling To carry a farm away, The plow, the fence The copper ware, The feather bed, Where she lay her head. The splashes … Continue reading The Flood Came by Edward Pontacoloni
Rain Surprise by Duane L. Herrmann
Rain was pouring down. What a relief! It had been another long, hot summer. Now, finally, the air was cool and the ground could get some reviving moisture. Before this rain, cracks had opened beneath our feet. Crossing one, an inch or so wide, I glanced down, with the sun directly overhead, and saw the … Continue reading Rain Surprise by Duane L. Herrmann
The ABC About Me by Diane Goullard
I dreamed someone said something nice to me. Amid tears flooding my cheeks, I prayed God was working through me.Allie said, “You knit so beautifully.”So, gladly, I thanked my grandma for teaching me.Bobbie said, “I’m so proud of you.”So, shyly, I lowered my eyes.Charlie said, “I’d be dead without you.”So, humbly, I thanked God, for … Continue reading The ABC About Me by Diane Goullard
Osage County Lake by Duane L. Herrmann
Little lake not faroff the highway,but no town, nestledon the prairie withsome trees adorningits shores.“Dad, you can read,”young daughter said,“as long as you want,it’s Father’s day.”He began the book as sheran off to play, then returnedten minutes later.“I’m bored.Let’s go home.”Loving father did,knowingher heart was true.
“Y” I Miss You by Linda Freedland
I didn’t need to look at the photo I took yesterday. It told its own bleak story. A photo snapped as I pulled into our local YMCA. The parking lot was nearly empty for a weekday. In normal times (will we ever see “normal” again?) the lot would be packed. Delmar residents, with their gym … Continue reading “Y” I Miss You by Linda Freedland
Cove Point by Joni Youse
At the end of the path, turn leftWalk to the cove, the spot whereOcean meets bay meets skyDecided by a comma thatWhorls into the calmProtecting from the relentless poundingForming a safe havenFor me, for us
Ballet In The Sky by Mary Perrin Scott
Visiting 5 Rivers this week, I sat on a log and enjoyed the warm sunshine and peace and quiet. It has been moths of political noise in America and now the fall out from the election. November fifth, no final winner of the election, I thought, “Escape I must from the political chaos.” Sitting in … Continue reading Ballet In The Sky by Mary Perrin Scott
The Septic Tank Truck by June Hannay Kosier
My Mom often would say “June, you are not too bright.” For instance, growing up, I lived in the country with no bus service. I took the city bus to the end of the line and then would call my mother to come and give me a ride the rest of the way home. When … Continue reading The Septic Tank Truck by June Hannay Kosier
The Run by Timothy Hesseltine
Push offSailing nowGravity pullingAdrenaline pumpingOn the edgeNiagara approachingPlunging overCompression comingVictoria loomingSpeed buildingTrees blurringLegs screamingLungs burningHolding onfist in airDo it again
THE PANDEMIC AROUND THE WORLD by Edward Pontacoloni
There’s a pandemic that has kept us from going Around the World, and it’s not likely that we will be going soon. All of the countries Around the World are covered in white shrink wrap now, except for Canada, where Bunyan is too big to cover. Paul Bunyan has always been too big to shrink … Continue reading THE PANDEMIC AROUND THE WORLD by Edward Pontacoloni
TCHAIKOVSKY ON THE PRAIRIE by Duane L. Herrmann
Never in his wildest dreamswould Petr Ilyitch Tchaikovskyhave imaginedhis Swan Lake,graceful, serene, majestic,soaring ballet movements,would have found a hearing,over the rolling land:Flint Hills –Kansas prairie,at sixty-fivemiles per hour!Ah,but it is so –his timeless musicuplifting heartscenturiesand light years away!
“I Can’t Fight this feeling any more/I’ve Forgotten What I Started Fighting For” by Diane Kendall Stevens
REO Speedwagon We were one of the Protestant families on our street in the 1950s in Wilmington, DE, just miles from Joe Biden’s Claymont. The baby boom had led to the middle class building upsurge north of the city, and the nine, neat, split-level houses on our dead-end spoke to the dreams of white families … Continue reading “I Can’t Fight this feeling any more/I’ve Forgotten What I Started Fighting For” by Diane Kendall Stevens
Can We Restore Unity? by Mary Perrin Scott
“Our country is polarized with deep divisions. It will take a long time to restore unity.”Alan Chartock- WAMC, Friday 10/30/2020Ephesians 2:14 For he is our peace, in his flesh he has made both groups (Jews and Gentiles) into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. Wednesday October 28 … Continue reading Can We Restore Unity? by Mary Perrin Scott
The Times They Are A-Changin’ by Linda Freedland
I had my Pandora station set to Bob Dylan. Every so often, I revert back to my hippie, folky days, because they seemed so benign and simple. Compared to these times, things certainly have been a-changin.’ I almost changed the station to something newer, hipper. But then the lyrics jumped out at me. I listened. … Continue reading The Times They Are A-Changin’ by Linda Freedland
One Thousand A Day by Carl Rubino
It’s going to go away by itselfHalf a million will be gone by mid-winter It’s not that bad…most everyone gets over itWe need more refrigerated trailers I had it and I got over it in a few daysI just waived to Grandma on a ventilator through her hospital window We need the new judge, so … Continue reading One Thousand A Day by Carl Rubino
If I Could Turn back Time (Cher song) by June Hannay Kosier
If I could turn back time, I would go back to a morning in 1991 when one of my patients died and I still have regrets regarding it.Patients can be on dialysis for many years, and they usually come for treatment three days a week. In the VA dialysis unit, we practiced what is called … Continue reading If I Could Turn back Time (Cher song) by June Hannay Kosier
Curved air by Christopher Bruno
sometimes nothing is a pretty cool handbutil takesacred accidents anytime.they don’t make anything lessitself;make it more. shattered limbs dance in wobbly time, across the back of an ambulance nite.the east wind like curved airswingsthrough remote controlpulsed bygiddy tension in the song— let a piece of yourself die in there darlin’best thing that will ever happentoya.
The Power of Belief by Linda Freedland
When my grandmother died, my mother grieved with all her heart and soul. To a 12-year-old, it seemed she was always crying. There seemed a deep and unreachable sadness about her that no one could heal. One day, the crying stopped. Something happened to help heal her grief, but I never knew what it was … Continue reading The Power of Belief by Linda Freedland
The Visit and the Dream by Ann Munroe Mullen
One night, a decade ago, I went to bed angry with my lover. Towards morning, I had this dream: I’m in prison. On death row. I have killed two people. Today I’m to be executed. Many days, as I sat in my cell, I wondered how it could be that I took two lives. Although … Continue reading The Visit and the Dream by Ann Munroe Mullen
My Family’s Ghostly Inn by Diane Kendall Stevens
A red-brick, three-story inn with a wrap-around porch in Cashtown, Pennsylvania is home to ghosts, according to widespread lore, but the mysterious historical tavern is also deeply embedded in my own family’s story. Cashtown Inn is located at the foot of the Allegheny Mountains, just nine miles west of Gettysburg, site of one of the … Continue reading My Family’s Ghostly Inn by Diane Kendall Stevens
Once is Enough by Phil Gallos
Ronnie lived under Patti. That is to say, Ronnie lived in the apartment directly beneath Patti’s. This was on Park Avenue, #84 (now 169), in the section of the street known as Cottage Row because most of the dwellings between Baker Street and Catherine in times past were “cure cottages” packed with tuberculosis patients hoping … Continue reading Once is Enough by Phil Gallos
AN ADIRONDACK APPARITION by Edward Pontacoloni
Recent Forest Ranger Actions New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Forest Rangers respond to search and rescue incidents statewide. Working with other state agencies, Forest Rangers locate and extract lost, injured, or distressed people from across New York State. Town of Newcomb Essex County Wilderness Rescue: On July 19 at 2:30 a.m. DEC’s … Continue reading AN ADIRONDACK APPARITION by Edward Pontacoloni
Maryanne by Carl Rubino
I met her between Rotterdam and AmsterdamRiding on the overnight trainShe looked at me and said her name was MaryanneOr at least, I remember it that wayWe talked all night as we rode the railsPast the tulips and the barges on the SeineWhen we stepped off the train in AmsterdamWe were walking hand in hand … Continue reading Maryanne by Carl Rubino
Carmelite by Diane Goullard
It was a moan that first stirred me out of my dream state. A brushing against my cheek came next. I wanted to scratch where the brushing had tickled me. My hands would come out from under the flannel bedsheets, opening the door to my cocoon. The room was so cold. My mouth exhaled a … Continue reading Carmelite by Diane Goullard
Immigration 1861 by Mary Perrin Scott
the quiet harbor ushered ina ship from abroadimmigrants from afarsearch for a life of hopefreedom’s soil under footconscripted by blue or greythrust into uniformdepending upon harbor of entryNorth or Southrite of passage to citizenship“Go, join the kill”from famine on home soilto war on freedom’s soilhungry souls left behindthe new unknownviolence of another kindfrom good and … Continue reading Immigration 1861 by Mary Perrin Scott
The Sapphire Tree by Evelyn McCord
Eva woke up sore and cold in the same spot she fell asleep: behind a large log in the forest. The multi-colored soft leaves made for a nice bed, but she was hungry and weak from battling the mutants the night before. Ahead in the distance, she heard voices. And she smelled baking bread. She … Continue reading The Sapphire Tree by Evelyn McCord
If He Could by Duane L. Herrmann
The man approached the house. He recognized the machine shed, pond and the location of some of the trees, but much was missing: the old house, barn, chicken house, small shed, grain bins. Obviously, his family didn’t live here anymore. When was now, anyway? What year? He had no idea how much time had passed; … Continue reading If He Could by Duane L. Herrmann
The Late Elvis Presley by Ron. Lavalette
Elvis still shows upall the time now lately;shows up like clockwork,a workman, sweaty,running hard, tryingnot to miss his cuefrom the horn section:— It’s The Wonder/The Wonder Of You —never late, never a worry,all smiles, all glitter and strutand a gold silk scarf;all peck and no hunt;sure, certain, posturingeven after all these years,even after all thoserumors … Continue reading The Late Elvis Presley by Ron. Lavalette
A Supernatural Experience by June Hannay Kosier
I have never seen a ghost. I lived in a house built in the 1870’s but there were no ghosts even though my mother was convinced that a woman was killed there and buried in the basement. The previous owner’s wife had disappeared and was never found. Since the back-cellar wall was of different brick … Continue reading A Supernatural Experience by June Hannay Kosier
Into the Fire by Linda Freedland
Kelli reread the letter inviting her to gather five “things” that she wanted out of her life forever. Gone from ever existing. She had two weeks to gather these things, items, documents, whatever she chose. They would be placed into a huge fire and all traces would be gone forever. Kaput. Finito. She immediately considered … Continue reading Into the Fire by Linda Freedland
My Personal Camelot by June Hannay Kosier
I am sure someone will write about throwing poverty, hunger, disease, racial injustice and war into a fire. It certainly would be nice to obliterate them. Since I am sure someone will write about these things more eloquently than I could ever do, I will tell you the five things in my life that I … Continue reading My Personal Camelot by June Hannay Kosier
Rookery, The End by Edward Pontacoloni
THE END We had had a most narrow escape. We had broken away, and Holly wanted a fire to destroy all of the vestiges, all of the memories, all of the fear and anguish, the insecurities and self doubt that had repressed her soul under a black magic. She wanted a conflagration to consume the … Continue reading Rookery, The End by Edward Pontacoloni
Hawthorne’s Earth’s Holocaust by Duane L. Herrmann
This prompt reminded me immediately of a little-known story by Nathanial Hawthorne, ‘Earth’s Holocaust.’ Originally published in Graham’s Lady’s and Gentleman’s Magazine in May 1844, it was collected into Mosses from an Old Manse two years later. In this story, set interestingly “once upon a time – but whether in the time past or time … Continue reading Hawthorne’s Earth’s Holocaust by Duane L. Herrmann
What To Throw Into the Fire by Mary Perrin Scott
Normally I do not think of things to destroy, however as I contemplated this prompt, I see some disturbing things circling around that should be obliterated.1. The virus that our president is saying is nothing more than the flu, has taken 211,000 and more, lives. Families and friends have been separated from one -another because … Continue reading What To Throw Into the Fire by Mary Perrin Scott
Re-boot by Jenny Curtis
I pull my hood up and tug on the strings to tighten it around my face, a futile effort in this incessantly hissing wind. The fire in front of me is low; I built it from scratch without accelerants except a few miraculous scraps of birch bark. Collecting wood for the fire was difficult, the … Continue reading Re-boot by Jenny Curtis
The Tree House by Kathy Barlow
The roots of the tree reached deep into the earth’s core, each connected to a blazing inferno of molten iron, carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, silicon and sulfur, a combination of elements that incinerated the requests that came to them, but the little girls didn’t notice. They focused, instead, on playing house, building a tree house, in … Continue reading The Tree House by Kathy Barlow
Fuel for the Fire by Kathy McHugh
1. Prejudice2. Bigotry3. Racism4. Ignorance5. Disease
OXYTOCIN by Edward Pontacoloni
The Northcountry Center for Ideological Cleansing at the Rookery in St. Frederick, New York, yesterday announced an astonishing new discovery that has enthused the pseudo scientific world with googled wonderment. Doctor Zorba Kildeere, the famed bioanthropsychist, has proclaimed the discovery to be a “real zeitgeist changer.” As a reporter for Adirondack Stream Media, I went … Continue reading OXYTOCIN by Edward Pontacoloni
That’s Not Possible by Linda Freedland
Sometimes our children are so far ahead of us in the geeky world of technology it’s scary. For example, when my eight-year-old son came home from school and announced that one day kids would never have to carry all their books around all day. To emphasize his point, he dropped his much-too-heavy bookbag on the … Continue reading That’s Not Possible by Linda Freedland
Cerebral Matter Wanted by June Hannay Kosier
Advertisement in the New York Times, June 7, 2020 Have you ever wanted to help your fellow man? Now may be your chance. Wanted: The brains of men and women who have been diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Alzheimer’s Disease, Lewy Body Syndrome and Huntington’s Chorea. There is nothing to be done now except contacting … Continue reading Cerebral Matter Wanted by June Hannay Kosier
The Aura by Mary Perrin Scott
We live in a very dangerous time. Due to the propensity of politicians to lie and cheat, I have invented a scientific method to reveal dishonesty when it is spewed from the mouths of politicians and try set them straight to tell the truth. My first challenge was to create an honesty aura. What might … Continue reading The Aura by Mary Perrin Scott
A GRAND SCHEME by Duane L. Herrmann
Take one planet of disparate, unorganized, contentious and clashing inhabitants. Send them instructions periodically through the centuries. These instructions will provide guidance for the inhabitants to learn to live and work together in ever larger social groupings: family, tribe, city-state, nation, and finally, the entire planet.Expect most of the inhabitants to ignore most of these … Continue reading A GRAND SCHEME by Duane L. Herrmann
THE INVENTION by Lynn Collins Jerabek
I feel it is my bounden duty, given the severity of the attack upon honest and true science and those who perpetrate it, to bring to your contest my invention. I understand that you are limiting your contest to items dealing with truth, or at least the attempt to render truth identifiable. Admittedly, you do … Continue reading THE INVENTION by Lynn Collins Jerabek
Quarterly Margins of Error: The Economics of Experience by S.L. Parker
After the pandemic, which came to be known as World War Z, the theories abounded, as did time to test hypotheses. 1.Lack of coffee = zombificationFar-fetched becomes reality due to chemical dependency and the newest additives, of course not regulated by the CDC nor the FDA. 2.Offensive Science Stance: “The virus impacted the brain, resulting … Continue reading Quarterly Margins of Error: The Economics of Experience by S.L. Parker
PROTECTED MOTHER by Duane L. Herrmann
I protected my mother, but I wasn’t the only one. All four of us kids protected her. We never told her how awful she was, how hateful she was, how we felt like shit because of her incessant screaming and criticizing. We hated her pickiness. We hated the exactness she insisted on things that didn’t … Continue reading PROTECTED MOTHER by Duane L. Herrmann
One Special Letter by Duane L. Herrmann
As a child struggling to keep some letters straight in my mind such as b and d, and p and q, it was a relief and delight to find that the first letter of my last name presented no such problem. Capital letters were less difficult than lower case anyway, but the H was special. … Continue reading One Special Letter by Duane L. Herrmann
Dear J by Mary Perrin Scott
Dear J, You stand for many things. Today I think of justice. Having watched the Ruth Bader Ginsburg service, I see a woman who devoted her life to justice. She was steadfast and consistent in her journey for justice. I would like to be known for helping to seek justice in this world of jumbled … Continue reading Dear J by Mary Perrin Scott
SYZYGY by Edward Pontacoloni
February 14, Twenty-Twenty Dear Sometimes Y, Wish you were here! You would love the giddy weather and yokel ambiance. Sometimes it’s steamy hot. Sometimes it’s chilly, wintry even, like in the Yukon. Sometimes it’s dry, but sometimes it will rain enough to flood the Yucatan crater, a real gollywhomper. Sometimes I lay on the sunny, … Continue reading SYZYGY by Edward Pontacoloni
E by Eleanor Sweeney
Dear E, It’s funny. A friend usually starts emails to me with “Dear E,” and another friend with ”Hi, Ms. E.” And here I am writing to you, E. You are my initial, and the initial of my mother and my grandmother, a few cousins, a daughter in law, and her mother. You show up … Continue reading E by Eleanor Sweeney
L by Linda Freedland
To my dear “Elle,” Not only do I Love you for your beginning of my name but for the many emotions and actions you have created. If it weren’t for you, we would not be able to express our Love for someone. Without you, how would we go through Life, Learning the Lessons so necessary … Continue reading L by Linda Freedland
A LETTER TO MY FAVORITE LETTER by Kernan W Davis
Dear Letter K: Of course K, you are my favorite letter, not just because you begin my name, but because you have played a significant part in my earliest days of becoming acquainted with the English language. You have an old history, derived from Egyptian hieroglyphics which represented the hand, which began with the sound … Continue reading A LETTER TO MY FAVORITE LETTER by Kernan W Davis
The Late Bloomer by June Hannay Kosier
The letter “J” is my favorite letter of the alphabet, probably because it is the first letter of my first name. However, it was the last letter to be developed and is thus the late bloomer of the 26 letters of the alphabet. “J” is the tenth letter and seventh consonant in the English alphabet. … Continue reading The Late Bloomer by June Hannay Kosier
What is a queen without her king? by Cynthia Snow
Dear Q,What is a queen without her king? When we first started dating, I was confused. You were so quirky. I wasn’t quite sure if you were a consonant or a number. I honestly didn’t know whether to quietly pursue or withdraw. Once Cursive died in 2010, I knew I’d follow you for the rest … Continue reading What is a queen without her king? by Cynthia Snow
Infinite Grace by Margo Fish
Sometimes, I fall into flowering fields, Where the weight of a feather is equal to mine, And the wind hears my heart beat, Like the Rhythmed wings it floats. My soul flows into Petal form, And I, Letting go, am free for grace, Sometimes.
Conservatives and Cough Syrup by Linda Freedland
When you’re in your twenties, you’re stupid. Really stupid. You think you’re smart, worldly, and know everything, but you know very little. I was in my early twenties when I was teaching in a rural school district not far from my hometown. I was living at home because my salary did not afford me the … Continue reading Conservatives and Cough Syrup by Linda Freedland
Look Before You Pee by Mary Perrin Scott
The challenge of riding 220 miles on the Erie Canal rose up in front of me. At 75 could I do it with grace? I thought, “If you never try, you will never know.” So off I went to Buffalo, New York. Bike on the back of the car, equipment in the trunk, the adventure … Continue reading Look Before You Pee by Mary Perrin Scott
Doughnut Day by June Hannay Kosier
“As you ramble on through life, Brother,Whatever be your goal.Keep your eye upon the doughnut.And not upon the hole.”Margaret Atwood Doughnut DayUntil recently, I thought Doughnut Day, celebrated on June 2nd, was just a good advertising gimmick for Dunkin Donuts. I was very wrong. Doughnut Day began in 1938. It honored the doughnut girls of … Continue reading Doughnut Day by June Hannay Kosier
Barefoot by Philip Snyder
Well beyond midlife, at this uncertain age of remembering, so much of my past arises unbidden. Boyhood summers barefoot, reconnecting me to the primal happy time of the early years living on the beach in Hawai’i. No shoes, just brown feet, and so coconut palms become the Tree of Paradise. Body memory, still there in … Continue reading Barefoot by Philip Snyder
My Left Hand by Linda Freedland
If anyone ever doubts the importance of hands, google “words that begin with ‘hands.’ Many of them are active words – as hands always seem to be working. All those words, like crafted, sewn, writing, shaking, springs, picked, painted, embroidered, and so on, are preceded by “hand.” And then there are those physical acts of … Continue reading My Left Hand by Linda Freedland
Honor My Appendages by Mary Perrin Scott
I have taken my hands and feet for granted.What would I do without their full capacity to function? One night, while sleeping in the guestroom,No, my husband and I did not have a fight.I knew I would snore.“Don’t wake him,” I told myself.“Sleep in the guestroom.” Getting up in the middle of the nightto relieve … Continue reading Honor My Appendages by Mary Perrin Scott
Finding My Hand by Pat Steadman
I found an old manila envelope, heavy and bursting at the seams during a recent rearranging of a closet. When I finally and carefully pulled the weighty object out of the envelope it was wrapped in a couple of soft paper towels for protection. Bless my Mother who never threw anything away and managed to … Continue reading Finding My Hand by Pat Steadman
Podiatry Appointment by June Kosier
I went to my podiatrist on Wednesday. What a coincidence that this week’s prompt is about feet! I have had three hammer toes for several years now. You can say I was not “on my toes” or very attentive about them. They don’t bother me except when I wear leather shoes but I mostly wear … Continue reading Podiatry Appointment by June Kosier
MY FEET HAVE TAKEN ME by Duane L. Herrmann
My feet have taken me to many amazing places. My very first journey began the summer I was two and a half when I was in the front yard of the house we had just moved to. Across the road was a gate to a pasture of my grandparent’s farm. Their house, nearly half a … Continue reading MY FEET HAVE TAKEN ME by Duane L. Herrmann
Lending A Hand by Ron. Lavalette
I’ll be glad to lend a handto my next-door neighboreven if he’s usually distant,even if he’s five or six states away,even if he lives on that other coastor in some city I’ll never visitbecause I don’t care for city life. I’ll be glad to lend him a hand. But that nasty guy on the news(the … Continue reading Lending A Hand by Ron. Lavalette
Hands & Feet by Leslie Sittner
gnarly digits atarthritic crooked anglesold woman’s fingers some call them frecklesnestled among raised blue veinsthese days they’re age spots brittle nails, dry palmsstill push, pull, pat, carry, holdhands tell our histories faded bunion scarscrusty heels, corns, callusespedicure too late balance an issueis it my feet legs or brain?maybe more yoga high arches, strong bonesstill walk, … Continue reading Hands & Feet by Leslie Sittner
Grape Glow of Glee by Lorraine Caramanna
I stopped at the farmers’ marketand meandered through stalls,eyesabove my maskon vegetables,flowers,baked goods,not on the time. I purchased an apple tart,sat on a bench in the sun,set my mouth free tosavor cinnamon spice on my tongue,people watched from a social distance,allowed time to float away. I wandered to the winery display,sipped samples of sensuous wine … Continue reading Grape Glow of Glee by Lorraine Caramanna
Down a Country Road by Linda Freedland
(A sign, deer, porcupine, a farm, farmhouse, an old man, a flatbed trailer, corn, peaches, tomatoes) My husband and I are both in need of distraction from the crises rocking the country. We want to travel, as we normally do in the summer. but we don’t especially feel comfortable staying in hotels. Maybe later. So … Continue reading Down a Country Road by Linda Freedland
Ten Ways to Think of You by Joni Youse
Checked sheets hold the warmthCradling hungry smiles.Moosehead bottle embraces a roseStares as we share words and rhymes.Warm vanilla fills the roomFlickering akin to beating hearts.Gray light reveals the treesLeaves wave in harmony.Red tail lights fade in the distanceThrough a mix of rain and snow.Leather bag sends a messageNot forever, you are home. Notes from an … Continue reading Ten Ways to Think of You by Joni Youse
Maine Beauty by Mary Perrin Scott
The sun poked its head into my early morning universe of sleep. Its slow rising painted the sky with reds, pinks and yellows. A color filled way to start the day. A calm wind moved across Blue Hill Bay and up Squid Cove. My kayak called my name from the shore below the deck, “Come … Continue reading Maine Beauty by Mary Perrin Scott
Mystery at the Desk Top by Edward Pontacoloni
The Laptop, Vovo, blinked and squinted, “It’s a puzzle to me,” he said. “Can you solve it?” asked Leonardo, the Rubber Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, standing at the base of the Desk Lamp. “I’m not too sure,” Vovo answered. Maybe the Desk Lamp can shed some light on it.” “I uh, I uh, I know … Continue reading Mystery at the Desk Top by Edward Pontacoloni
Along Came a Spider by June Kosier
“I thought I saw a spider, but it was just a piece of yarn. It’s dead yarn now.”Writing on a shirtAlong Came a Spider,Who Sat Down Beside Her Like most girls, at the age of ten, I was afraid of spiders. I grew up during the ‘60’sin Poestenkill, New York which was a country town … Continue reading Along Came a Spider by June Kosier
The Kiss of the Meatball by Lorraine Caramanna
Tuesday was Grandma Day – every Tuesday – No Exceptions – unless Grandma had something better to do – which was at least twice a month. I never had anything better to do. With school closed for the summer, my phone was my social life. I was a waitress in the Main Street Diner, but … Continue reading The Kiss of the Meatball by Lorraine Caramanna
Baking a Shoo Fly Pie in Grandma’s 50s Kitchen by Diane Kendall Stevens
Assemble ingredients: South-Central PA Grandma in flowered apron, a farmer’s kitchen with red linoleum and knotty pine cabinets, a radio broadcasting farm market reports in the next room, Pyrex dishes, wooden rolling pin, spoons and spatulas, pie ingredients (flour, shortening, molasses, brown sugar, baking soda, egg, boiling water, cinnamon, nutmeg) a dog-eared recipe in an … Continue reading Baking a Shoo Fly Pie in Grandma’s 50s Kitchen by Diane Kendall Stevens
Henry’s Fudge by Linda Freedland
Both my parents were good cooks, each in their own way. While my mother was somewhat loose in her interpretation of measurements, my father was a chemistry teacher and his inherent habit of carefully measuring transferred into the kitchen. He knew which ingredients, based on their chemical makeup, would yield certain results and when too … Continue reading Henry’s Fudge by Linda Freedland
Darmi Dreams by Marea Needle
DAR= dark and MI= milk referring to chocolate, as lovers of this rich goddess know, and Dreams as I slept inventing this recipe. Ingredients were as follows: Take mini muffin pans, pour in 1/2 batter of dark chocolate cake mixture, chewier for those who like brownie texture, less flour, then add milk and sprinkles so … Continue reading Darmi Dreams by Marea Needle
Chick-N-Que Sauce by June Kosier
This recipe is also known as “Bill’s Secret Recipe“ and could rival Brook’s Barb-B-Q in Oneonta, NY. It is not a recipe for fried chicken, but could potentially replace the colonel’s recipe. Bill is my father. He took a basic barb-b-que sauce recipe and added four more ingredients to it and heated it on the … Continue reading Chick-N-Que Sauce by June Kosier
A Sundae by Edward Pontacoloni
Putting whipped cream on top hides the nuts beneath.That is as it should be, keeping the nuts hidden.However the nuts, be they walnuts or pecans,Should be above the sauce. And the sauce should be a hot fudge sauce,Which is on top of the ice creamYet below the nuts, be they pecans or almonds.The ice cream … Continue reading A Sundae by Edward Pontacoloni
Recipe for Disastrous Family Life by Duane L. Herrmann
Take one traumatized toddler.Let her grow physically but not emotionally.Take one farm boy who expects to marry a wife as competent as his mother who fed and clothed her family with produce from the garden and the sale of eggs.Put the two together on a rocky farm with a decrepit house and no financial resources.Bring … Continue reading Recipe for Disastrous Family Life by Duane L. Herrmann
Rice pudding taught me how to cook and how to live by Kathy Barlow
I turned my stubbornness trait around and called it tenacity. I turned my inability to ask questions around and called it curiosity. And, I learned to cook, because I am tenacious and curious… and always hungry! Cooking was not a skill I learned as a child, or even as a young adult. Eating, though, eating … Continue reading Rice pudding taught me how to cook and how to live by Kathy Barlow
Untitled by Judith L. Parsley
And one by one they found themselves at the end of the laden tablewhere there was breadmade with a hint of cardamomand a trace of sugar.Just enough to bring them together.No secret, this:spice and sweetness in good measureis found where bread is shared.
Scalloped Potatoes by MaryKate Owens
She was a good cook. She cooked with what she had on hand, quickly and easily, turning out a meal for 9, often with some help from one or another daughter. My mother often made scalloped potatoes – sometimes with ham; sometimes without. Just potatoes, butter, cream, a little onion, salt and pepper. Maybe a … Continue reading Scalloped Potatoes by MaryKate Owens
Tomato Jam by Mary Perrin Scott
“Jam excels at preserving the tastes and smells of the season, but why should berries have all the fun? Adding tomato jam to your summer preserving bounty is just the thing to make you feel like a savory cook and leave you with a taste of summer into the fall.” Most of us gardeners have … Continue reading Tomato Jam by Mary Perrin Scott
Dear PRL by Paul Lamar
Dear Paul,Just a quick email to check in after your first date with Mark. Another first date. How’s that working for you? But I should give you credit for trying, at almost 54, an age when most sane folks might figure out that a long-term relationship isn’t for them. You’ve had two, with some occasional … Continue reading Dear PRL by Paul Lamar
Dear Mary Perrin by Mary Perrin Scott
Who would have thought you would become a memoirist, poet, and political columnist? You, who had such a long academic struggle. You, who could never read a book from cover to cover until fifth grade. Looking through your report cards which your mother saved, first grade through college graduation, is proof of your struggle. You … Continue reading Dear Mary Perrin by Mary Perrin Scott
Dear Little Duane by Duane L Herrmann
Dear Little Duane, You are a good boy. Your mother cannot say that, no one ever said she was a good girl, so she doesn’t know how to say it to you. Your mother loves you, but she can’t say that either. She’s not even sure she knows she loves you. But, she does. Your … Continue reading Dear Little Duane by Duane L Herrmann
Down the Rabbit Hole by Patricia Steadman
Dear Child, Your childhood will be like sliding down the rabbit hole in Alice Through the Looking Glass. You will see and hear many strange things that will not make any sense to you at this time, but I know you will eventually figure your life out and be a confident, strong, happy person. Pay … Continue reading Down the Rabbit Hole by Patricia Steadman
Dear Linda by Linda Freedland
I think you know by now, this was not such a good idea. It had seemed really romantic at the time, so very independent on your part, so part of the “I am Woman, hear me roar” generation, but you are not, right now, that independent woman. You may THINK you are, but you’re not … Continue reading Dear Linda by Linda Freedland
You might be at home, but you are not alone.
What remains during these tense times is ACW’s commitment to building spaces for healing together. Through weekly writing prompts and posted responses, new online classes, and the online display of PoemVillage, ACW is continuing to bring together community members like you during isolation and uncertainty.
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